Mad wipers this morning

[keith150882]

I had something like that on the last real cold spell they packed up totally so on investigating motor was full of water and frozen that's wy they wasn't working a good defrost and clean and thay been ok ever since. I think it's from tiping worm water on windows every morning to defrost them that's when it accured!

[buffallobill]

I had a weird situation that has since vanished as quick as it appeared.

Driving along -4C on the BID went to use screenwashers and gave two short bursts onto the screen, the wipers activated then refused to go off, so I had to de-press the lever a few times then they finally stopped mid wipe and when I pressed the lever to do a single wipe all I got was it inching up then back down the screen.

I arrived at my meeting, then on coming back to the car all was back to normal.

I surmise she had a wee fit at being dragged out at half past stupid at zero minus daft degrees when she was used to lounging in the garage, but seriously anyone know what the score would have been?

exactly the same on 07 model life.,,soon as car got warm and heat coming through the heater the problem disappeard this as happened 3 times in the minus temps over the last couple of weeks.
dont touch the wipers now until heat starts coming through..

[shadylee]

had this today,soon as the temp hits -2 or lower they do all of this,also i filled up my screenwasher bottle with 100% neat washer liquid in the hope my jets wouldnt freeze,

tried them this morning,they froze..lol

[Birchy63]

Not had that, had the recirc button refuse to go on, then when it finally went on, refused to go off. Has been very cold recently.

I've figured out on mine that if it's set to the window vents, then the recirc button will not work at all. Obviously a "feature", but WHY???

[shadylee]

I've figured out on mine that if it's set to the window vents, then the recirc button will not work at all. Obviously a "feature", but WHY???

humidity from cabin air fogging up the windows more than likely.

windows need to be clear etc

[Tony W]

Happens on our 55reg Facelift Club..everytime the outside temperature falls to freezing or below....corrects itself when the engine bay 'warms-up'...

If the screen needs a wipe I cancel the wipers when the reach the approx. 'park position' until they 'thaw out'...

Don't know why this happens...but is well known on here.....

Think it's a different problem to the 'bad earth' problems also known on here...

Cheers

I always de-ice the windscreen, or clear snow off it before I use the wipers in this weather....usually a quick single wipe after de-icing or de-snowing & have posted my experience in a number of threads eg - as above....but they failed to work 'properly' yesterday...after 'warming -up'..

This time they operated very slowly across the screen... both juddering slowly across the cleared screen & stopping part way through the wipe cycle...I had to push 'em back to the 'park position'...

Looks if I've got a more serious problem with 'em...as I heared a 'grinding noise' when they tried to operate...read various threads/posts on here about wiper problems in this weather - not found any relating to 'sheared' splines or teeth on the gear mechanism in the motor... but wonder if this case in this instance ???

Not investigated further as yet..but wondered if sheared splines/gear teeth etc. had been identified by anyone with wiper problems...

It's a 55 reg Facelift Club - comments I have seen on here suggest the Facelifts had 'modified' mechanisms fitted???

Any comments would be appreciated...

Cheers

[Tony W]

I always de-ice the windscreen, or clear snow off it before I use the wipers in this weather....usually a quick single wipe after de-icing or de-snowing & have posted my experience in a number of threads eg - as above....but they failed to work 'properly' yesterday...after 'warming -up'..

This time they operated very slowly across the screen... both juddering slowly across the cleared screen & stopping part way through the wipe cycle...I had to push 'em back to the 'park position'...

Looks if I've got a more serious problem with 'em...as I heared a 'grinding noise' when they tried to operate...read various threads/posts on here about wiper problems in this weather - not found any relating to 'sheared' splines or teeth on the gear mechanism in the motor... but wonder if this case in this instance ???

Not investigated further as yet..but wondered if sheared splines/gear teeth etc. had been identified by anyone with wiper problems...

It's a 55 reg Facelift Club - comments I have seen on here suggest the Facelifts had 'modified' mechanisms fitted???

Any comments would be appreciated...

Cheers

Situation now is that even when the car has 'warmed -up'...I have....

No single pulse wipe when tapping the stalk down....

No Wash/Wipe when pulling the stalk forward in the 'Off Position'...

Rear Washer/Wipe OK when pushing the stalk backwards in the 'Off Position'.....

No 'Timed single pulse wipe' when stalk is tapped up to position 1 & no Wash operation when pulling the stalk forward...

No 'Slow Wipe' operation when stalk is tapped up to position 2 & no Wash operation when pulling the stalk forward....

The wipers only work on Fast speed..as does the washer pump but they don't self park when the stalk is tapped down to the 'Slow Wipe' position....they just stop where they happen to be at the time..managed to anticipate & stop 'em manually in the approx. 'Park' position....

Just posted a query in a Thread How do you remove the indicator stalk if the technique is the same....so I'm hoping it is a similar 'wear' problem on this wiper washer stalk like that experienced by some people on here with operation problems on that - cruise control/indicators/ headlamps etc. & NOT the Steering Column ECU...

The car is a 55 reg Facelift Club Hatch....Just past it's MOT last Sunday without a problem...then this became apparent on Tuesday just 5 years & 47K miles after it was first registered....

Have any of you guys have had/got similar trouble.....if so I'd be pleased to read your experience & solutions...

Cheers

[calbert07]

when its freezin my wipers go skitzo ignore the spelling

[Tony W]

Yeh...it's a well known Vectra C 'quirk' on here mate...& became apparent in my case a couple of years ago or so ago when the winter temperatures dropped to freezing & below...
Unfortunately, the multifunction indicator & washers switches are all part of the steering column ECU and any problem with a component thats part of it cannot be replaced...it's a new ECU as I understand...Cheers

[Tony W]

Yeh...it's a well known Vectra C 'quirk' on here mate...& became apparent in my case a couple of years ago or so ago when the winter temperatures dropped to freezing & below...
Unfortunately, the multifunction indicator & washers switches are all part of the steering column ECU and any problem with a component thats part of it cannot be replaced...it's a new ECU as I understand...Cheers

Decided to get a new replacement wiper motor complete with wiring harness,plug & fixing bracket & try changing the old one in the hope that it will solve my problem mentioned..however I have a query...

Can anyone tell me what the purpose of a short black rubber 90degree pipe that comes out of the motor end cap at the gear mechanism end ???

Is it a vacuum pipe or something that's connected to the inlet manifold to do with automatic self parking position or something or a 'breather pipe of some sort' to vent the inside of thewiper motor....I'm puzzled????

Cheers